Edolas: Journey of Discovery
by NinNinKakizaki2014
Summary: After joining Fairy Tail, Wendy couldn't help but feel a moving desire to be with fellow dragon slayer Natsu. What's more, the Anima portal has opened, leaving only herself, Natsu, and their Exceed partners Happy and Carla on a quest to reclaim their world from the alternate universe of Edolas! A re-telling of the Edolas arc, with some reinterpretations.
1. Chapter 1: Anima

**A/N: Next story to make its debut, I present to you, Edolas: A Journey of Discovery. Basically, it's an alternate scenario setting of the Edolas arc. This time around, Wendy will be at the age of 16 years, and the whole Edolas journey will only contain her, Natsu, Happy, and Carla. I might decide to throw Gajeel in here too. Anways, please leave a review, and enjoy the first chapter.**

**Note: I do not own Fairy Tail. All rights go to Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

**Edolas: Journey of Discovery**

**Chapter 1: Anima**

It has been a month since Wendy Marvell, former member of the Cait Shelter guild, and her companion Carla have joined Fairy Tail. They were offered a chance to join the guild by none other than Erza Scarlet, the mighty Titania, after realizing that they had been living a fake life all this time. After the initial sense of despair, and a little time of getting used to, Wendy had finally been able to call Fairy Tail her new home.

Sure, the guild was a lot more rowdy than back at Cait Shelter. For one matter, it did seem a lot smaller, mainly because Cait Shelter was more laid out like a village, while all Fairy Tail members gathered inside one lone, but grand building. Also, one regular recurring event at the guild was the notorious guild brawl. Simply put, two mages would fight over something completely ridiculous, and pretty soon, more than half the guild would be involved. Wendy tried her best to avoid those situations at all costs.

However, despite these differences, all members of the guild were really friendly to Wendy and Carla. Even Gajeel Redfox, whom Wendy found out was a dragon slayer like she was, was tolerable, though he could work on fixing his attitude somewhat. Wendy was grateful to have this many new friends that over time, she was slowly able to forget about her past life and become accepted into this new one.

However, Carla was quite indifferent. No matter who tried to talk to her, she would simply ignore them and give them her trademark "hmph". Wendy thought that it may be just that Carla wasn't used to being in Fairy Tail yet.

"Come on Carla, try to be nice for once." Wendy encouraged her friend as she completely ignored a joke Elfman was trying to tell her. "You're not going to make any friends this way."

"Why should I care?" Carla would always reply. "It's not going to change anything."

Wendy cared a lot about her friend, and she didn't want her to be upset. However, Carla always seemed upset, and there was nothing she could do about it. "Oh well, maybe time will tell," thought Wendy as she walked over to the bar.

Mirajane Strauss, Fairy Tail's resident barmaid and currently the most popular pin-up model on Sorcerer Weekly, greeted the young dragon slayer. "Good morning Wendy, what would you like today?"

"A glass of orange juice please, Mira-san." Wendy took her seat while Mira went to the back room to prepare the drink. While waiting, she placed her elbows on the table to support her drooping head, apparently deep in thought. "What am I going to do with you Carla?" Wendy thought. "Just look how friendly everyone here is. How could you not enjoy being in their company?"

While those thoughts poured through her head, little did she know that someone else had taken the seat beside her. Stretching out, the man realized that Wendy was sitting next to him. Seeing her expression made him feel concerned. "Yo, Wendy."

"Hm?" Wendy turned around and saw Natsu Dragneel staring right at her. That definitely startled her. In fact, she was so startled that she nearly fell off her chair, though luckily Natsu was able to grab hold of her before she tipped over.

"Whoa Wendy, you okay there?" Natsu grinned. Wendy couldn't help but let out a sheepish laugh. This was Natsu Dragneel, the one other dragon slayer that Wendy had heard about and wanted to meet so badly. During her time in Cait Shelter, Wendy had heard various stories of the infamous guild named Fairy Tail, particularly about one certain pyromaniac who was responsible for most of the property damages caused by that guild. What really caught her attention was that Natsu was a dragon slayer as well, thus he should know about where all the dragons disappeared to 7 years ago.

However, both Natsu and Gajeel knew nothing about the reason. At that moment, Wendy felt disappointed, but that all changed during the light guild alliance against the Oracion Seis. She felt moved by Natsu's determination to save her guild, backed by a promise he declared right in front of her. It was just one of those times when Natsu truly showed how strong and caring person he could be.

"Seriously Wendy, is something wrong with you right now?" Natsu was curiously knocking on Wendy's head. Silly girl! Did she have to zone out like that in front of him? Wendy quickly straightened herself and tried to regain her composure. "Yeah, I'm fine Natsu-san. Nothing to worry about." With a small smile and a subtle nod, Wendy assured Natsu that she was fine, prompting a shrug from the latter.

As Natsu left to continue his argument with Gray, Wendy couldn't have felt more relieved. However, she just couldn't keep her eyes off of him. Most of the time, Wendy was shy when she was among people, but only Natsu could take it to a whole new level. There was just something about him that made Wendy's heart beat like an overheated alarm clock. Was it because they were both dragon slayers? "Maybe I do kind of have a crush on him…" Wendy thought to herself.

"Honestly Wendy, you should really think before you decide on who to spend the rest of your life with." Yet again, Wendy was caught in surprise. This time, it was Carla, arms crossed and pouting, staring and rolling her eyes at the fight Natsu had started with Gray. "I can already tell he's going to be a bad influence on you."

"Carla, don't say that!" Wendy practically shouted. Seriously, this was getting out of hand. If Carla can't change her attitude towards Fairy Tail, then Wendy will, she will…

"So what?" Carla scoffed. "What can you do about it? This guild is just full of hooligans who don't even know what to expect. Face it, we would've been better off living on our own."

Wendy just couldn't understand why Carla acted the way she did. She knew that Carla cared about her safety, but that doesn't mean that she has to babysit her all the time. I mean, she was 16 years old for crying out loud. Wendy was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Yet, Wendy couldn't find it in herself to argue with her. She knew Carla meant well, and Wendy herself was too kind of a person to easily get into a fight.

"See what I mean?" Without another word, Carla walked towards the exit. Wendy sighed. How was she ever going to get Carla to change her mind about Fairy Tail? And what was wrong with having a crush on Natsu?

"Carla! Wait! I have something for you!"

"Hm?" Carla turned back to see another cat run up to her. This blue cat here was named Happy, and he was Natsu's companion. Carla didn't quite comprehend how unoriginal his name was. He was just as clueless, Carla was sure of that.

"Please, accept this fish for me. I got this fresh from the river today, so maybe I guess you and I could…"

"Get out of my face you annoying blue tomcat!"

That came out a lot harsher than Carla meant for it to be. Pretty soon, everyone in the guild laid their eyes on Carla and Happy, the former with a sheer look of rage, the latter completely taken aback.

"Carla!" Wendy was shocked. "That was really mean! Please, apologize to Happy right now!"

Carla only stared at the ground. No one could understand what she was going through. No one will know what will happen in only a matter of time. She could feel it coming, and there was no way she could turn back now.

"Just, just… just leave me alone alright?" Carla managed to say before she stormed out of the guild hall, leaving behind a crestfallen Happy. "Was it something I did?" Happy thought to himself.

Carla ran as fast as her short legs could carry her. Away from people passing by, away from children gawking over a cat running on 2 legs, away from the vicinity of the Fairy Tail guild until she couldn't run anymore. Panting, she came to rest near a tree, sitting down to catch her breath.

"Stupid humans, what do you know about the oncoming dangers?" Carla though out loud. "It's all going to happen in a flash, and you will know nothing about it! How could I be friendly with anyone when I know I won't be able to see them again?"

"What do you mean by that?"

This time it was Carla's turn to be surprised. Apparently, Happy had followed her all the way here. "What do you mean by dangers?" Carla didn't want to spill the beans to Happy, but his determined and concerned face had caught her off guard. Honestly, her first impression on the blue tomcat was that he was just another clueless figure, not looking down further into the seriousness of things. Oh, how ironic that his name happened to by "Happy", when really there wasn't anything to be happy about.

Happy continued staring at Carla with the same expression. "Well, I guess he does have to know somehow," thought Carla. Thinking of how to word her response, she thought about Wendy, the only friend she truly cared about. Nobody knew about the terror that was going to befall upon this world, and yet if only Carla could protect Wendy…

"You cannot protect Natsu you know."

"Huh?" Happy was unable to comprehend Carla's response. What did she mean he couldn't protect Natsu? Natsu out of all members of Fairy Tail was his best friend, and Happy wouldn't even give up the world for him. However, whatever did Carla mean? Happy was more than capable of protecting Natsu, was he?

"You cannot protect Natsu," Carla repeated, "but I shall protect Wendy." Carla felt better simply by saying that. She wanted to prove that she was a much more stronger-willed being than Happy was. It just made more sense, Carla knew what was about to happen, yet Happy was completely clueless. What could she do to make him understand?

"If you can protect Wendy, then I can protect Natsu too!" Happy was still confused by Carla's words, but the look of concern and determination on his face was genuine. "Natsu's my best friend, and I'll do anything to protect him, just like what you'll do for Wendy."

"Hmph. You just won't understand." Carla scoffed. Without another word, she turned her back on Happy and walked off. Happy just stood there, contemplating whatever Carla had said to him. "Clueless tomcat," though Carla. "He doesn't even know of his origin or of his purpose here. Whatever am I going to do?" There was just no way she could bring up whatever was going to happen to anyone. At least, not yet.

Meanwhile, in another part of Magnolia, a masked man, wearing a cloak with 5 staves strapped to his back, was staggering along the streets. This certainly startled most of the civilians in the area, carefully avoiding the man just because of his peculiarity. However, this man was not affronted by this. He had one goal and one goal alone. He must get back to Fairy Tail.

This man was known as Mystogan. He was one of Fairy Tail's S-Class mages, though he rarely shows up at the guild. Little was known about the man, other than the fact that he looked just like another infamous man, and that secret was only known to Erza Scarlet and Natsu Dragneel during their last encounter.

What was this goal he was trying to achieve? Recently, he was made aware that 2 new members were joining the guild. When he came to check, he couldn't believe his eyes. At first, he thought something was playing tricks with him, but no, it was her, how could she be here at a time like this?

There was no time to lose. Mystogan had to warn her, to bring her to safety. There was no telling what the future could hold for her. The least he could do was continue to try to hold back the magic that was going to cause this future apocalypse. However, he knew his body could no longer contain it anymore. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

The Anima was soon about to open.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, so my plans are for my stories starting from now is that I'm going to get a start on all the story ideas I have listed on my profile. Guess I'm kinda being indecisive right now? Anyways, once I've done that, I promise that I'll get back to my other stories (Dragon Slayer Prophecy, Harem Quest, etc.) Until then, please leave a review. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2: A Brief Reunion

**A/N: Next chapter! So, Wendy and Mystogan reunite, albeit not as heartwarming as they'd thought it would be, so I guess this will be a brief Mystogan x Wendy moment?**

**Note: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Edolas: Journey of Discovery**

**Chapter 2: A Brief Reunion**

Several hours had passed since Carla had stormed out of the guild. Sure, Carla could be pretty stuck up sometimes, but this was the first time Wendy had witnessed Carla completely losing control of her temper. She guessed she could understand why Carla couldn't accept Fairy Tail as her new home, but did she have to go that far as to yell at Happy?

Wendy just couldn't understand her friend sometimes. Carla had always upheld her authoritative personality ever since they met as children. Despite being younger, Carla was more mature, thus acted almost like a mother figure to Wendy. She could not tolerate childish behaviour, though with Wendy, it was hard for her to exercise judgement primarily due to Wendy's instinctive nature of being a dragon slayer.

Another hour had passed. What made the tension feel even worse was the fact that it started to rain. Carla still hadn't returned, and now Wendy was really worried. What if something bad happened to her? Plus, what happened to Happy? He had followed Carla despite her sudden retort, and had also not returned since. Wendy couldn't stand it anymore. She had to go find them.

"I guess I'll see you later then!" Wendy called back to Lucy as she ran out the door. Once she stepped out, it seemed as though the rain had started pouring harder. But that didn't stop her. Despite the obvious dread presented by the atmosphere, Wendy was determined to find out where her friend was.

"Carla! Carla! Where are you?" Wendy made her rounds throughout the city, trying to locate the white cat. She practically searched every nook and cranny, using her enhanced smell to guide her. Even in this dreary weather, Wendy's senses were as sharp as ever. Over the years, her dragon slayer powers have improved, especially after having joined Fairy Tail. _Maybe it was because of meeting Natsu, _Wendy would usually think.

Eventually, Wendy had caught onto Carla's scent. She must have been soaked to the bone! Wendy could faintly make out that smell of the tea Carla had every morning. She was glad she was okay.

"Carla!" Wendy turned the corner and found Carla trudging along the road, minding her business. Carla's ears perked up at the voice of her best friend. There was Wendy, drenched from top to bottom, smiling and looking as happy as ever. Despite being a teenager now, Wendy was still a child in Carla's eyes. Honestly, how could she not think of dressing warmly or bringing an umbrella along?

"Hi Wendy," Carla smiled back, knowing that it'll take a while for Wendy to grow up to be the proper lady she expects her to become. "Carla, I'm so glad you're okay! You were gone for hours! You don't know how worried I was…"

Carla sighed. Wendy was just too kind-hearted. She just couldn't find it in herself to scold her at that moment. She listened as Wendy continued to babble about Carla having to be taken care of, how she should not be left alone at times like this, etc.

"Come on Carla, let's head back to the guild."

That phrase broke the cheerful mood. Carla just couldn't let Wendy go back now. Not after what was going to happen soon. She didn't know how to explain it to her, especially knowing that the consequences may be a bit too traumatic for the young dragon slayer. "Wendy, we can't go back."

"Well, why not?" Wendy inquired. She walked towards the cat and bent down so that they were eyeing each other at the same level. "I understand that you're not used to being at Fairy Tail, but I don't understand why you have to be so harsh on everyone. Can you tell me why? I can help you, Carla."

"I'm sorry Wendy, you wouldn't understand. It's just…"

"Just what then? Carla, it's not going to help either of us if you're going to keep everything to yourself. So please, help me understand. Help me help you." Wendy stared at her with such concern that Carla was just on the verge of spilling the beans. _I guess it couldn't be helped then…_ Carla thought as she opened her mouth to speak.

However, they were both interrupted by the sound of sudden footsteps. Turning around, Wendy and Carla came face-to-face with a masked man, garbed with a ragged cloak and carrying a set of five staves on his back. Something about this man made Carla feel suspicious. Standing up, Wendy eyed the man with curiosity, although with a certain level of caution as well.

"It's been a while, Wendy."

Wendy realized that she recognized the man's voice, although it was definitely deeper than when she last heard it. Could it be?

The man removed his bandana and mask to reveal his face. He had blue, spiky hair and there was a visible tattoo etched on his face. He had a fixed composure, which could be interpreted as having been through a lot in his life. This was definitely him, no doubt about it.

However, Carla had reacted first. "Jellal? I thought you were in prison? What are you doing here out in the open?"

The man's eyes were fixated on Wendy, the sole reason why he came out in the open for. Seeing her shocked expression only made the situation much more difficult for him, as it had been years since they last met. He was surprised at how Wendy had physically grown, in both beauty and composure. She was no longer the little girl who had travelled with him in the past.

Slowly, the man replied, "I believe you have mistaken me for someone else. I am aware of the existence of a man who bears the same exact appearance as me. However, I am not him. I am Mystogan of Fairy Tail."

"Oh." Wendy's expression changed suddenly from shock and delight to being crestfallen. Had she mistaken someone else for the boy who helped her in past again? What were the odds of having more than one person with the exact same appearance?

Seeing Wendy like that only pained Mystogan even more. Hurriedly, he added, "I know you, Wendy Marvell. We had travelled together in the past."

Wendy suddenly perked up to that phrase. So it was true, he finally showed himself after all these years. "That means… that means… you're…"

"Yes Wendy," Mystogan tried to smile, but having lived long years in solitude proved it difficult to do so. "You knew me as Jellal back then. Well, here I am." There really wasn't much he could say here, as Mystogan wasn't used to these kinds of situations.

"You're my Jellal…" Wendy stuttered. Here she was, finally, with the first person she had developed affections towards after Grandine the Sky Dragon's disappearance. This was the boy that took young Wendy under his care, and they both went about on their travels together. Sure, it may have been a childish thing, having a crush on a boy who had been a good friend, but now, it seems so…

She wanted to hug him. It was just too long ago since they were acquainted with each other. Wendy missed those strong arms that held her whenever she was cold, whenever she fell asleep from exhaustion. She missed that caring, strong personality from the boy she knew as Jellal, something that she could depend on for support. Then, without thinking, she approached Mystogan, and wrapped her arms around him.

Mystogan was slightly taken aback. Even after all this time, it seemed as though Wendy harboured feelings for him. Back then, Mystogan did not know what to make of it, as they were both still pretty young at the time. Also, given the burden of having run away from his homeland, to pursue a self-appointed mission that meant sacrificing a lot…

And Wendy, why did she even forget about Jellal after all this time? And to think that she laid eyes on someone else after Jellal's disappearance! Why did she not give Jellal a chance? Maybe it was because she felt that she had to move on, and Natsu seemed to have snatched the heart of the young sky dragon slayer. It was the only viable option, wasn't it?

Carla just stood there dumbfounded. Quite the turn of events, isn't it? She had heard Wendy's stories of her travels with the boy named Jellal, although she couldn't quite believe them at the time. Who would've thought that Wendy felt this way towards him?

Unfortunately, this moment of sentiment was cut short when Mystogan pulled Wendy away from him. "No, sorry, I just can't…"

"Jellal… why…?"

"Wendy, can't you tell? He's hurt! Just look at his condition!"

Carla was right. The moment she let go of Mystogan, he fell to one knee, clutching his chest and breathing heavily. Something definitely was wrong. What could Wendy make of it? She had to do something, but what?

"Here Jellal, let me heal you…"

"No!" Mystogan brushed her aside as she approached him. He did not want to burden Wendy anymore. He had a purpose in this meeting, and it wasn't supposed to have been a sentimental reunion. He had to warn her before it was too late.

"But Jellal, you're injured! Let me just…"

"Listen Wendy!" Mystogan grabbed the dragon slayers hands and pulled her close to his face. "You must leave this town immediately! Something really dangerous is going to happen! I've been trying to hold it back for years now, but it somehow was finally able to come through…"

"Huh?" Wendy was confused. However, a sense of realization had dawned upon Carla. This man, Mystogan, was from that place. He knew about the catastrophe that was to befall upon Magnolia. Since he was so desperate to keep Wendy safe…

"Wendy, you heard him," Wendy turned to face Carla. "If we don't leave now, everything will be destroyed. We mustn't get caught up in all of this, or who knows what'll become of us?"

Wendy absorbed all this new information provided by Mystogan and Carla. What did she make of it? It was careless, it was selfish. How could they only be concerned for her when all of Magnolia was at stake? Wendy was grateful to have them worry about her, but what about her new friends at Fairy Tail? What would become of them?

"No."

"What? Wendy! You heard…"

"I said no!" Wendy practically shouted, exasperated. She didn't mean for it to come out like that, but she needed to make her point. "What about the others? What about Fairy Tail? You couldn't just leave them be after whatever you've stated happens, right?"

"But Wendy, this is for your own sake. Your safety is most important because…" Mystogan had started, but Wendy interrupted him.

"I don't care! I'd rather suffer along with my new family rather than abandon them!" Wendy was now indignant, some rare quality about her personality that wasn't exposed up until now. She then started running back to the guild.

"Wendy! Come back!" Carla shouted.

"I'm going to warn them!" Wendy shouted back. "I just can't lose them! Not like what happened to Cait Shelter! I don't want to have to go through that again!" Without another word, she disappeared.

_After all that, I still failed…_ Mystogan thought. His ultimate goal was to somehow convince Wendy to reach a safe place, wherever that was. Forget it, there was no safe place to go. All was for nothing. And that feeling of sentimental reunion was slowly fading away…

Carla looked at Mystogan, who looked back at her. Both were thinking the same. There was no way things were going to be back the way they were supposed to be. Nevertheless, there could be some hope. They just watched on as Wendy continued to run.

She sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her. Wendy had to get to the guild and make sure everyone was alright. She remembered back a few weeks ago when she realized that she had lived a life of lies during her time at Cait Shelter. Despite being illusions, the Nirvit Tribe, aside from Carla, were the only family she had. Now that she had found a new family in Fairy Tail, Wendy couldn't afford to have history repeat itself.

_Just a little more, almost there…_

And then it happened. Upon arriving at the front entrance of the guild, the building started to evaporate. Like a tornado, the guild hall, along with all of its surroundings, neighbouring households, trees, people, everything, were diminishing at a rapid pace. Wendy could only watch in horror as the world she knew was slowly fading into oblivion.

Within minutes, there was nothing left. Wendy was stuck in a void with no sense of life, no family or friends, no nothing. She fell to her knees, and tears started flowing uncontrollably out of her eyes. She had lost everything, all was gone, and there was nothing she could do, despite having tried in her best efforts.

There was no one to comfort her.

"Natsu-san…"

* * *

**A/N: Enjoy this chapter? Please leave a friendly review. Thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Alternate World Revealed

**A/N: Yay! Fairy Tail anime is back! And so far, the animation looks pretty good in my opinion. And also, thank you for those who are following, favouriting, and reviewing my stories. It means a lot to me, even though I don't plan on being a writer. I guess I wanted to contribute to the NaWen fandom as much as I can, even though we know it'll never be canon… oh well. **

**Note: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Edolas: Journey of Discovery**

**Chapter 3: The Alternate World Revealed**

It was all over. Her life, her new friends, all gone in an instant. It was as if they never existed to begin with. Everything was simply an illusion just for Wendy to experience happiness, only for it to reveal its apparent nonexistence. Was her life a lie? Did fate really hate her that much? All of it was too much to bear…

Wendy was kneeling on the bare ground, weeping for what seemed like hours. At least the disappearance of Caitshelter was tolerable, despite her initial sense of despair. However, it seemed like the whole world was gone, and Wendy was the only living being to have survived this apocalypse.

Where was Carla? Where was Jellal? They had known about this occurrence; yet was it possible that they might have been taken as well? Wendy wished that there was someone with her for comfort, but she knew there was no one left. There was no hope, all was lost forever…

Suddenly, Wendy picked up a faint rumbling sound. Startled, she was snapped out of her misery and was on the alert. Where was the sound coming from? Listening closely, her ears lead her to the ground beneath her. Surely enough, the ground was shaking a little. Was it an earthquake? Or maybe some kind of monster was beneath all that earth? Wendy backed away slowly, prepared for the worst.

A huge bump materialized from the ground, and whatever it was beneath it was trying to force its way out. Wendy watched in horror as the figure made one muffled shout, one final push, and then…

"Huh? What the hell happened?"

It was Natsu! He was alright! All thoughts of danger escaped from Wendy's mind at the sight of the male dragon slayer. She was not alone after all; maybe there was some hope in all of this. Maybe there was a way to bring everything back…

"Natsu-san!"

"Oh, hi Wendy!" Natsu replied. "You wouldn't believe this! There I was, taking a nap after my fight with Gray and all of a sudden, I found myself under a pile of dirt! Did someone play a trick on me, cuz if they did, I swear I'll…"

There were so many things Wendy wanted to tell him, all while Natsu continued to mutter his gibberish. However, priorities were first. She had to tell him what happened. She first walked over to help him out of the ground.

"Natsu-san, I know this sounds bad, but everyone at Fairy Tail just disappeared!"

"Huh?" Natsu blinked in confusion. Wendy continued, despite his slow uptake. "I went out looking for Carla, then Jellal showed up and warned me about this, and when I came back to the guild, everyone was gone!"

Natsu stared at her blankly. Surely, he should be able to grasp the situation right? At least, Wendy hoped he would…

"Are you sure you're okay Wendy?" Natsu asked while lightly knocking on Wendy's skull. "You know Jellal's in prison right? Seems like you might've hit your head pretty hard or something…"

"No! Believe me, it really happened!" Wendy shouted in frustration. But then, Wendy couldn't really blame Natsu. Anyone would've been confused at some farfetched story like that. However, this was reality, whether they liked it or not.

"I don't really know how it happened, it just did…"

"That's because of the Anima," said a fairly distinct female voice.

"Carla!" Wendy turned and saw her feline friend, all alive and well. Her arms were crossed and she had a slightly scornful look on her face. She continued, "Anima is a highly advanced and powerful form of magic used by the kingdom of Edolas. That was what made everything disappear."

"Edolas?" Natsu inquired. Wendy was just as confused. She had never heard of such a place before. Back at Caitshelter, Wendy did quite a bit of reading with Carla, so she knew of places beyond Magnolia. However, Edolas did not seem to ring a bell. Before Carla could explain, the three of them heard a frantic cry from afar.

"Yaaa! Natsu!" Happy was flying his way towards them, with a shocked expression. Carla scoffed. "Seriously, that tomcat sure knows how to make an entrance…"

"Everything just disappeared! Buildings, shops, they all just dissolved to dust! How could this have happened! How…"

"Calm down tomcat, we already know the circumstances."

"Carla! You're here! I'm so glad…"

"Hmph!" Carla turned her back to Happy as he tried to approach her. Happy initial euphoria at the sight of his fellow feline friend slowly died down as he landed on the ground, feeling slightly crestfallen. Wendy couldn't take it anymore. She had to get to the bottom of why Carla was always so mean to Happy.

"Carla, sometimes I don't understand you, so please, just answer me this. Why are you so mean to Happy? He hasn't done anything wrong to you!"

"Yeah, I wanna know too!" Natsu piped up. He was getting the notion that Carla was mistreating his best friend, and he couldn't allow that. Happy just looked at the floor.

Carla's level of anger was now at a boiling point. Surely they would not understand, but the question that bothered her for sometime was, how come that tomcat wasn't aware of anything? Why was he so clueless? Carla sighed and continued with her explanation. "You see, Edolas is…"

"You haven't answered my question yet!" Natsu yelled, though it came out a lot harsher that he meant it to be.

"I'll get to that you dummy!"

"Guys! No fighting!" Wendy immediately took on the role of a mediator between the two. "Natsu-san, please let Carla finish her explanation. Carla, please do not berate Natsu-san or Happy."

"Oh alright, but make it quick!" Natsu crossed his arms and waited. Carla continued, "Edolas is a world that exists in an alternate dimension. It is like a parallel world to the world we live in. You see, we live in Earthland, and above our world is the kingdom of Edolas. It is because of the Anima magic used by the kingdom that most of what was in Earthland is now gone."

That came out as a shocker. Natsu and Happy freaked out, "Oh no! The world is coming to an end because of Edolas! Prepare for the worst, Happy!"

"Aye sir!" Both of them held on to each other, shivering. However, Wendy waited until Carla was ready to explain some more. After all, she was her best friend, right?

"I was originally from that alternate world. I was sent down from there to Earthland as an egg, assigned with an important mission. I don't exactly know what it is, but I've been having visions telling me what to do. I really don't know what to make of them…"

"Oh Carla…" Wendy wanted to comfort her friend. _You were in that much pain ever since we met? If I'd had known sooner…_

Natsu and Happy stopped their little act to listen to Carla. It was then Carla lost her composure, "What I don't understand is why you don't know a thing!" She yelled, pointing her paw at Happy. "Surely, you were sent down here with the same purpose right? Why don't you know anything? Why?"

Happy felt guilty. He really didn't know a thing. Was he supposed too? Both Natsu and Wendy turned to his direction, waiting to see how he reacts. Happy spoke, "I'm sorry, but I really don't know anything. If this mission we were sent on were that important, I would've told you by then. But really, I would've liked to know, but I don't…"

"Happy, I didn't know…" Natsu looked concerned now. Feeling for his little blue friend, he said, "Hey buddy, why don't we take a breather and think about it for a moment. Anything you can recall?"

"Nope, not a thing…" Happy hung his head in shame.

Natsu then turned to Carla. "Alright, we now know your story. Now tell us how to get our friends back. There must be a way, right?"

Carla thought about it for a moment. Was it really possible to do that? Even though it seemed like she was given this task, it seemed like a trap of sorts. Plus, it might actually involve betraying Wendy's trust…

"It's okay Carla, take your time," Wendy calmly replied. Natsu and Happy only waited, which only added to Carla's pressure. Surely, against all odds, are these three going to try to bring this world back to its original state, without any clue on how to do it? Reckless they were!

After much hesitation, Carla gave an answer. "Yes, there is a way."

"Finally!" Natsu pumped his fist into the air. Happy happily leapt into the air and did a few loop-de-loops. Wendy smiled, knowing that there was some hope after all. However, Carla just couldn't bring out that same level of confidence the others were showing.

"We're going to have to go to Edolas. Find out where they're hiding everyone. I'm not sure what will happen once we reach there, but I can assure you that everything will not be what they seem once you set foot there."

"Don't worry, Happy and I have been through a lot, so what's to be afraid of?" Natsu had his confident little smirk etched on his face. There was nothing that would break this dragon slayer's spirit, that's for sure. This was just one of the few traits that Wendy admired about Natsu. Brave, confident, and going into battle with a "never give up" attitude. Sometime, Wendy wished she were just like him. Well, minus the clumsiness and idiocy.

"Okay then," Carla then added, "Now I speak to both of you, Wendy and Natsu, so please listen carefully."

Wendy and Natsu's attention suddenly focused on the white cat. She took a deep breath before saying, "Should either I or the blue tomcat turn against you two, I order that you kill us immediately."

"WHHAAATT!"

"You can't be serious Carla!"

"We would turn our backs on them?"

"Everyone! Just please!" Carla shouted. "As much as I don't want to believe this, but somehow I feel like this is some sort of trap. Maybe my mission was to take out all the Earthland wizards, who knows? But promise me; kill us if you have to. I couldn't bear to have to betray my friend…."

"Oh Carla," Wendy knelt down beside the white cat and wrapped her arms around her. Carla didn't move, too grief-stricken for words. Wendy was just too nice; she always saw the good in everything. Why couldn't she accept this what was about to happen?

"Don't say that Carla," Wendy pressed on. "I know nothing like that's going to happen. We're all friends, and we'll stay together like that no matter what."

Natsu watched as the two girls comforted each other. It seemed nice, almost heartwarming. Would he have been able to pull that off? _Man, I wonder if I…_

"Natsu?" Happy looked at his best friend, worried about what might happen once they journey to Edolas. "I don't want to hurt you, you know I don't…"

"Haha, what are you talking about?" Natsu patted the blue cat's head. "We're buddies, right? There's no way we'd turn on each other! I'm all fired up about that!"

Wendy turned and saw the two best friends while they talked. Natsu sure seemed like a great friend. Plus, he was a good motivator! His confidence seemed to spread everywhere. Wendy sighed. _If only I would…_

"Then it's settled." Carla stepped out of Wendy's embrace to face the others. She pointed up into the sky at the void that seemed to be continuously draining magical particles at a slow rate. "See that? That is the Anima that transported your world into Edolas. If we go through there, we should be able to reach the other world."

"And how are we supposed to do that?"

Carla mentally face-palmed at Natsu's denseness. "We fly of course."

"Oh…."

"I'll be carrying Wendy. Tomcat, you carry Natsu."

"Aye," Happy agreed as he proceeded to latch himself onto Natsu while Carla did the same to Wendy. "Now tomcat, use your wings. We're going to fly at top speed up into that void. Do not slow down, do not fall back. Do you understand?"

"Aye!" Happy readied himself for flight.

Wendy and Natsu's eyes briefly caught on to each other for a moment. Both of them had a fiery passion burning through them. Both dragon slayers wanted to bring back their friends so badly. It was one thing they both valued above all, and that was friendship. There was nothing, absolutely nothing; that was going to stop them. Natsu grinned, while Wendy smiled back. _We're in this together,_ they both thought.

"Alright then, let's go!" With a sudden burst in speed, both cat/human groups launched themselves into the air, like two rockets headed out for space. As they continued to go up, the void seemed to grow brighter, almost as though trying to force the group back down.

"Don't give up! Push yourself forward!"

"Aye sir!"

All four sets of eyes were fixated upon the void, glowing brighter than ever. This was it, they were getting closer. Closer to the entrance of the world that would seem to be different than what they were all used to…

And together, Natsu, Wendy, Happy, and Carla began their dangerous trek into a world unknown, with who knows what might happen on the other end? With a final burst of speed, Happy and Carla forced themselves through the void, thus completely disappearing from sight.

Back in Earthland, one lone figure stood watching as the group of four entered the void in the sky. Mystogan watched as the girl he cared for in the past confidently went right to her demise. He tried to tell her, but in the end, it looked like her was going to lose her after all.

He yelled in frustration, punching the ground while breathing heavily. Seriously, Mystogan was a calm individual, and yet, why did he feel this way all of a sudden? He honestly hoped that Natsu wouldn't try anything, provided that they both actually survive the journey. Mystogan was not going to let him take advantage of her…

* * *

**A/N: So, a little rivalry between Natsu and Mystogan in the future? Sorry if this concept seemed a little sudden, as I just randomly thought of it after writing. I wonder how I'll work this into the story… Anyways, how'd you think about this chapter? As usual, please R&R! And thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4: A Whole New World

**A/N: Here we are, in Edolas! I guess you pretty much know what's going to happen in this chapter. So, since this is my story, I won't necessarily follow along with what really happens in the manga/anime. What I'll try to do is to incorporate more Natsu x Wendy moments, but not so much as to have them instantly liking each other from the get-go (as stated by the Wumbologist; thanks for the review!) **

**Note: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Edolas: Journey of Discovery**

**Chapter 4: A Whole New World**

"Whoa…"

Natsu, Wendy, Happy, and Carla gaped at everything around them as they flew through the skies. They realized that this definitely was not what they were used to seeing.

First of all, there were floating islands everywhere. It was as if there was no ground at all. Everything was sky-bound, almost as though they were situated in some heavenly kingdom of sorts. At first, Natsu started to feel a little uneasy. After all, floating islands did look like transportation to him. Luckily, he had Happy carrying him, so he was safe for now.

It wasn't only the floating islands that seemed bizarre; there were literally tons of abnormalities that littered the kingdom; enough to make a child's mind explode if they were to let their imaginations run wild. Trees hanging upside-down, bodies of water twisting in the air, and humongous fungi growing at odd angles; these were just some of the crazed pieces of scenery just to name a few.

"This certainly looks interesting," Carla said. Through her visions, she could only recall bits and pieces of what the kingdom of Edolas' appearance was. Never did she expect to see this crazy maze of shenanigans.

Wendy looked around with a hint of curiosity. As a young child, she was naturally curious, and that trait continued to stay with her today. Questions were forming in her head whenever she saw something that intrigued her. _What's with that peculiar-looking flower?_ Wendy thought as they passed over a garden. Indeed, there was one oddly-shaped flower that stood out from the rest of the plants.

Suddenly, the group felt a little heavier. Wendy strayed away from her curiosity momentarily when she realized that she felt like she was lowered a bit. "Carla, are you okay? I think you need to rest a bit right now. You've done enough."

"What are you talking about? I'm feeling fine." Carla calmly replied. Happy, however, didn't look so good.

"So heavy…" Happy seemed like he was struggling with carrying Natsu around.

"Happy? You okay buddy?" Before Natsu could get a reply, the whole group stopped abruptly for a moment. They were suspended in midair for a brief moment of time before Happy and Carla realized that their wings had disappeared.

"How in the…" was all Carla could say before the group started plummeting downwards at a high speed. All four of them screamed as they were taken on a freefall thrill ride as they dropped about 20 feet, 50 feet, almost 100 feet; there was no telling where land was!

To make matters worse, Wendy felt a slight breeze run up her legs. At first Wendy didn't think much of it, as she was too preoccupied with the fear of falling from a great height. However, it didn't take long for her to figure out that Natsu had stopped screaming momentarily. _What was up with him? _She thought.

It was only then that Wendy realized what she didn't want to have happened. She was wearing a skirt, and due to them falling, her skirt was flying up, revealing her… oh no! What an embarrassment! Wendy continued to scream, not only due to their fall, but to this as well. She desperately tried to flatten out her skirt while Natsu resumed his screaming.

This was quite a long fall! When was it going to end? Hoping to reach land soon, the group did eventually hit something, but that something was not the land they had hoped for. They had landed in one of those suspended rivers! For something as odd as that, one would think that they would've just fallen through the water. But that wasn't the case.

Natsu, Wendy, Happy, and Carla were taken for another thrill ride along the fast-running river. Every second or so, they were twisting, turning, going through loop-de-loops; it was like a roller coaster of sorts. When was this crazy ride going to end?

Natsu began to groan under the pressure of having to go through all of this. His motion sickness was kicking in, upsetting his stomach as he tried to hold in the reflux that was threatening to come out of his mouth. Wendy, Happy, and Carla did their best to try a steer clear away from Natsu's face as they journeyed down that river, right until they finally had landed…

Right on solid ground. _What are the odds? _Thought Carla, while her head was spinning. Surely, they were expecting some sort of lake or pond at the end of all that, right? Moaning in pain, Carla stood up to see how her companions were faring.

Happy landed face down, tail crooked and arms twitching. Didn't look too happy, did he? Turning around, she saw something that probably scarred her for quite a while. Carla stared, white in shock, as the events unfurled in front of her.

Wendy was sitting on the ground, rubbing her eyes and trying to get the water out of them. When she opened them, she saw Happy, partially unconscious, lying somewhere off to the side. She saw Carla, staring at her, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. "Carla? Is something wrong?"

Carla didn't respond. The only sound coming out of her was a few incomprehensible stutters. She was sure acting strange. Wendy then took another look around and realized that Natsu was missing. Where was he? Wasn't he just with them a few minutes ago? Wendy asked, "Have any of you seen Natsu-san anywhere?"

"Aye…" was Happy's half-hearted reply. Carla's eyes shifted ever so slightly to stare at the ground. It took a few moments for Wendy to realize that the ground she was sitting on was not necessarily soft. Nor even, for that matter.

"Grrrmmpphhhmmeee!" said a voice from underneath Wendy. She looked down to see that she was not on solid ground after all. In fact, she was sitting on top of Natsu's face! Startled, Wendy quickly leapt to her feet and tried to straighten herself out.

"Kya!"

"Gragh!" Natsu took a big gulp of fresh air before coming to senses. "Wendy! Were you trying to kill me? I couldn't breathe down there!"

Carla finally snapped out of her stupor. "You're one to talk!" She huffed. "Taking advantage of the situation like that! How despicable! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"I'm sorry Natsu-san!" Wendy apologized over and over again, a deep shade of red forming over her cheeks. _I hope he didn't see too much,_ she thought to herself.

"Aye, Natsu didn't mean to do that either…" Happy had finally stepped into reality. He made his way towards the quarrelling group. "These things just happen sometimes, right?"

"Easy for you to say!" Carla rebutted. "What are the odds of something atrocious happening like that?"

"Carla, it's okay, everything's fine now." One of the things Wendy hated the most was her friends arguing amongst each other. She had seen her share of pointless fights Natsu pulled against random guild mates, notably against Gray most of the time. She had also seen Carla argue with just about everyone she's met in her life. If only they would cease all this fighting!

"Heh, no worries!" Natsu grinned. "I guess I'm sorry for what happened there…" A faint blush was forming around his cheeks as well. _What just happened? How did I even end up under Wendy's…?_

"Fine, I'll accept that for now. But if I see you pull another move on Wendy…"

"There, there Carla, Natsu-san said he was sorry already," Wendy assured her feline friend. "Besides, that's not what's important right now. We made it here, so what are we going to do next?"

"Aye sir, this place is confusing me," Happy added. "With all these floating islands, weird-looking plants… Plus, my wings disappeared! Tell me what you know Carla!"

_Geez, this blue tomcat really is clueless,_ thought Carla. "Anyways, first things first. Since myself and the tomcat are Exceeds, we naturally harness a kind of magic that allows us to fly, which is called Aera. As to how we were unable to fly all of a sudden, I'm not sure…"

"Wow, Aera? It has a name?" Happy's eyes glowed with admiration. "How smart of you Carla! I was about to call it Wing Magic after a while of using it! Luckily you are here to correct me!"

"Hmph!" Carla scoffed. "Moving on; we are now currently in the land of Edolas. As you can see, everything is not what it seems here. Just like how I warned you before we actually came here."

"No kidding, this is almost like this nightmare I once had!" Natsu exclaimed, jumping from one place to another. Truly, the peculiarity of this world intrigued the fire dragon slayer as he looked around, wide-eyed and mouth agape.

Nevertheless, Carla continued her debrief. "Now, the issue with getting back our friends remain."

_Hey, Carla mentioned everyone as friends for once,_ Wendy thought. _This looks like a change for the better…_

"I have a hunch that they may be held at the kingdom's palace. I'm not sure how we're going to find the place, but promise me this; we need to keep a low profile while we're here in Edolas. Any indication that… No! Natsu! What are you doing?"

Before Carla could stop him, Natsu and Happy were already approaching a man who was fishing by the river they just came out from. _Oh great, _thought Carla. _We're so doomed…_

"Hey there!" Natsu called out cheerily to the man. "We happen to be looking for a palace around here. Seen anything like that?"

At first, the man was startled, just by the fact that he heard someone's voice. However, his fear suddenly escalated at the sight of Happy. His eyes bulged and he started to shiver. He dropped the fishing pole he was carrying, which fell into the river and got carried away by it. Natsu was confused. "Say buddy, I just asked this guy a question, was there anything wrong with that?"

"Aye, I'll say; there must be something wrong with him, by the looks of it." Happy replied. To this, the man's response became rather extreme. He freaked out, pointing at Happy with shaking fingers, before pulling out something from his pocket.

"Look out Happy!" By instinct, Natsu put himself in front of Happy and took the shot that was pulled by the man and his magic pistol. It grazed his shoulder, leaving a slight flesh wound. Natsu grunted in pain as the man continued to shake, observing what he'd just done.

"Natsu-san!" Wendy, dragging Carla along, rushed to where the commotion was. She was concerned for Natsu, as it was natural for someone as caring as Wendy to be concerned about a friend sustaining an injury. However, Carla only mentally face-palmed herself, as those two idiots went ahead and gave away their position! She couldn't believe how those two just couldn't hold back and think for once!

Natsu, enraged at the man who tried to hurt Happy, retaliated. "How dare you pull a trigger on Happy? Do you know who you're dealing with here?" He pulled his fist back, ready to pull a punch. "Whoever tries to hurt my friends deserves a beating! Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

"Natsu-san, don't!"

Too late. Natsu threw his punch, and it connected with the man's face. However, the effects of the attack didn't turn out right. Natsu's fist, supposedly engulfed in flames, was instead as bare as ever. "Huh? What the heck's going on? Where's my magic?"

"You idiots!" Carla chastised them. "Don't you realize what you've done here? You gave away our position! Plus, you attacked a citizen of Edolas! Now, people are going to get suspicious!"

Luckily enough, the man who Natsu punched fell unconscious after that blow. Unluckily, the ruckus they made aroused other people who were passing by. Just like the man before them, they started freaking out once they were made aware that Happy and Carla were in their presence.

Chaos ensued right after. Some people were screaming their heads off. Others were pelting stones at the group, particularly aiming at the cat-like creatures in front of them. Natsu and Wendy instinctively shielded their friends from the stones by using their own bodies.

"Ugh! What's going on? Why are they acting like this?" Wendy asked as she shrugged off a stone that hit her left shoulder.

"This is why I wanted to keep a low profile! People in Edolas have a general disdain for us Exceeds! They fear us just as much as they worship us here! Once we come in sight, who knows what might happen!"

"You got that right," Natsu grunted as he took a stone to the head. Happy was looking as scared as ever. Ever since entering this world, he had taken a lot in regards to this origin. Now, as the story was fleshing out, he was beginning to feel the pain that Carla went through, or so he thought.

"Come on, we can't stay here any longer!" Happy suddenly shouted. "We need to find somewhere to hide, quickly!"

"Someone call the Royal Guard!" shouted one of the inhabitants. "Alert them of the Exceed presence here!"

"Over there! Let's make a run for that house over there!" Happy was pointing to what seemed like a giant apple in the distance. However, looking closely enough, there were windows and a door carved into it, thus it passed as a house.

_That blue tomcat finally came to his senses,_ thought Carla. "Alright! I say we break for it, now!"

"Hai! Carla!"

"I'm all fired up right now!"

And they were off. Natsu and Wendy carried their respective Exceed partners and bolted towards the house. They ran as fast as they could, hoping to avoid pursuit of the Edolas townsfolk. However, strangely enough, they did not give chase.

"Huh, what gives?" Natsu asked, looking back to where they were moments ago.

"Don't look back! Just keep running!" Carla urged him to move on. Pretty soon, they made it to the house. Without even thinking about who might've lived there, the four of them crashed right through the door and fell to the floor, panting.

"Oh man," Natsu said between gasps for air. "I don't think I've ever been that pooped after a little jog like that!"

"That's was a jog?" Wendy replied. They were literally running for their lives a while ago! No matter, at least they were safe for now. Wendy took it upon herself to look around the building, right after she managed to catch her breath. It was indeed a homely place, with wooden furniture, a dining room, a bed, and a bath. A little fireplace was crackling merrily in the corner. However, the house wasn't occupied by any other person. _Strange…_ thought Wendy.

Happy approached Carla, who was not only out of breath from evading the people of Edolas, but also from yelling too much. "Carla…"

"Shut it… tomcat…" Carla was in no mood to yell again. Instead, she fell asleep, exhausted from this whole fiasco. Happy gently stroked her head, feeling the need to comfort her in some way, yet he couldn't because he realized how distant Carla was being to him.

"Here, let me handle this Happy." Wendy picked Carla up in her arms and brought her to the single bed that occupied the space in the other corner. She carefully laid her down, pulling the covers over her tiny body. Carla, having felt the warmth, snuggled up and turned to the side, quiet as a mouse.

Wendy smiled. "You did enough today Carla, you should get some rest." She stroked her friend's face while Happy watched on, sitting at the other end of the bed. _If only Carla were as nice and gentle as Wendy, then maybe I could understand her more…_

Natsu looked out the window. It seemed like the Edolas villagers were no longer hot on their tails. Yet, Natsu still felt a little uneasy. Looks like they were going to have to stay here for the night.

"Natsu-san? I think you should get some rest too. We won't have any idea on what to do next until Carla wakes up."

"Nah, it's okay Wendy." Natsu turned back and grinned at the blue-haired girl. "Besides, I still have a bunch of energy left inside me. I guess I'll keep watch for the time being. And if there was anyone coming out to get us, I'll beat them up, with or without magic!"

"Oh, okay then. Well, tell me when you get tired, and maybe we can switch?" However, Natsu had already stepped outside the house and made his stand in front of the door. Wendy sighed. _Natsu-san sure knows how to be serious when he needs to be…_

Happy had also fallen asleep on the bed. Feeling tired herself; Wendy made her way to where the two Exceeds were and lay down in between the two. _Who knows what we might run into next?_ She thought before slowly drifting off to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Well, how was that? Slightly different, right? I hope? Well, on another note, maybe the Mystogan being jealous thing I pulled up at the end of the previous chapter might have been random. But hey, Mystogan's not going to show up again until much later in the story. So for now, please R&R, and thanks for reading!**


End file.
